Brushing Teeth of 14 Month Old Is Not Going Well! Help!

Hi J.,
That's so funny you should mention that. I recently posted something about this very same problem on my blog. My husband is a dentist and he suggests coaxing them and not giving up. Try distracting them while you brush to try and get them to open their mouth etc. If it comes to it, force them. Whatever you do, don't let them think they don't have to brush if they refuse! To read his full suggestions you can go to http://busymamas.com/2007/12/30/helpmy-child-wont-let-me-.... Good luck!

We have to be very inventive in my house, but we get the job done - instead of making it a duty, it's play. Some of the stuff we do at different times (whatever works in different stages):
I brush her teeth, she brushes mine.
We sing a song about brushing teeth.
We pretend the animal on the brush asks her to brush her teeth.
We count while brushing teeth.
We pretend she's a hippo or other animal who needs some real teeth cleaning
We pretend brushing teeth of her dolls/stuffed animals who have a horrible smell in the mouth
We always buy toothbrushes battery powered or w/ music in it, and the softest kind (some kid's brushes are too hard).
Truth is,when i'm impatient and want the job done fast, itis a battle and takes a lot longer...
Hope thi helps, good luck!!!

my daughter didn't like it either until we got a motorized or a mechanical tooth brush with spongebob and patrick on the handle, she even picked it out. now it's a breeze. we also got the toddler training toothpaste and she doesn't mind the taste. It worked for me.. lol.. S.

Hi,

I'm a stay-a-home mommy of twins. I wanted to tell you
to try & make it fun for her, that way she'll look at the fun side of it, and not "fight" it evertime. "They" sell tooth-
brushes that light up, you can divert her attention while she's
brushing, "look at the light," or something like that.
If that doesn't work, take her to the store & ler HER pick out the toothbrush, (hopefully she won't pick out one that fits an adults mouth). But let her be involved in the whole process. Or, there's always, "if you brush your teeth, look at what u get" have some little prizes, (stickers, tiny stuffed animal, something cheap so u don't go broke & age appropriate-.99 cent store has stuff). Anyway, if you turn it into a fun thing, or a reward type program, she should respond, good-luck.

R.

One of my boys is pretty sensitive to oral things, he has an O.T. and brushing (or putting anything in his mouth like that)was hard he would gage and push you away. We started giving him the toothbrush in the tub and letting him play with it,getting used to it on his terms. They have other brushes such as a nuk brush (soft rubber) you might try and find at savon of some place like that. We give him it while hes in the high chair, let him play with it and dip it into his food. Once she gets used to something "new" it will be alot easier. Now he loves to brush, and dosent gage or tighten his lips.

we have a specific "brushing teeth song" that we sing only when it's time to brush teeth...dancing and being silly with it can help make it more of a fun activity rather than a fight. We also purchased a few different tooth brushes with different characters on them so our son would have a little "control". He could pick which toothbrush he wanted to use.

Sometimes we would tell him, "just a rinse" and pretend to rinse off the toothpaste and use only water.

Also, offering a Hand Check is a good reward rather than going overboard in verbal praise. We take washable markers when our son does something good and put a little checkmark on his had. that way he can see how many checks he has on his had at the end of the day. I suppose you could start with only giving checks for brushing teeth. Stickers would also work.

bottom line, it does take time. Consistency is important as is patience. You cannot really force them to let you in for a teeth brush however..good luck!

Try a motorized toothbrush! My son has had one since he started getting teeth. He loves it. The best one out there for toddler teeth is the Sesame Street one made by GUM. It has a small round head that rotates. He loves it. I let him try brushing his teeth by himself too.

Hi! For my daughter (which is 3 1/2) I used a kid electric brush. She loved it! I have a son that is your daughters age and he is so so with the electric brush. I have to let him suck the toothpaste (toddler training toothpaste) off then I can use the electric brush little bursts at a time. I also say "ahhhhh" so that he will try to mimic me and open his mouth. It does get better!

I have a 14-month-old son and I've found, with most things, that if we let HIM do it himself, he likes it a lot more. My husband and I have those Sonicare electric toothbrushes and my son was always into trying to hold them and feel the vibration and put the brush in his mouth. We bought him his own - at Target I found a kids electric toothbrush (I don't know the brand, but it has Sesame Street characters on it) for around $6. He LOVES to hold this thing while it vibrates and love to brush all two of his teeth with it. Maybe something like this would work for you guys :)

I used to be a dental assistant (and my dad is a dentist)...here are some ideas and one of them might work. You can let her take a turn with the toothbrush first (with a super small amount of paste or no paste at all) to let her know she has control. It will also let her get used to the brush and what it feels like in her mouth. I have found that children like control over many things and if we are brushing their teeth they feel like their space is invaded. After she has her turn then say, "You had a turn and it's mommy's turn now." Then you can make her laugh by saying it's the "Tooth Tickler and it's coming to tickle her teeth". Another thing I found that worked when my daughter was older (about 2 1/2 yrs.) is we showed her a picture of some nasty teeth (you might be able to find on the internet) of someone who didn't brush their teeth. Then we showed her a picture of a beauty queen who had the perfect smile and said that she had brushed her teeth. Now when our daughter brushes her teeth she says she wants the clean pretty teeth like the beauty queen. Also if the child sees you brushing your teeth they are likely to follow your example. Also when they see you brush your teeth they will see that it isn't scary and they'll want to try it too. While you are brushing your teeth you can comment on the brushing experience (even though it's hard to talk with paste in your mouth) and talk it up..."Look how mommy is brushing her teeth. Mommy's teeth are getting so clean. The tooth tickler is tickling mommy's teeth. etc." Make it fun. You might want to try a toothpaste that is made for kids (that has the ADA approval on it)...because the flavor is more pleasant for the child rather than the strong adult mint flavors. Colgate has fun characters on the toothpaste and toothbrushes too. My daugher like the Dora Toothpaste so we brushed our teeth like Dora brushes her teeth.

Target sells tooth brushes that sing. My son has a Thomas the train one and he loves it. That helped us. Also, sometimes he does fight it, but then I let him do it and it works. He is now 20 months old

One of the hardest things in parenting is how to get those daily health maintenance chores done without ending the happiness of a morning afternoon or evening. With my three I try to make learning anything fun. I have had my children brush my teeth with a small tooth brush and just water. We brush together. We talk about how important it is to take good care of our whole body. "Let's shine up those pearly whites." "Brush, brush brush" I sing in happy tones. Your child will learn and you as the guide will be the light along the way.

Try this, make brushing teeth a family thing, kids love to copy mom and dad, and or big brother and sister, while you are brushing your teeth let her brush her own teeth, then make a game out of it and check each others teeth, for your daughter say Ok let me mommy see your teeth, then take her tooth brush and say oh you missed a spot here, oh you missed a spot here, then she will probably let you brush them, just make it fun, when my kids were little I made everything fun, some of it was kind of corny, but it worked. J. L.

We started with our daughter about this time - here's what worked for us:

Sit on the edge of the tub or the toilet, hold her in your lap facing you.
Bend her over backwards & her mouth will almost ineveitably open - brush her teeth whilst singing a silly song about tooth-brushing and teeth and "this is the way we brush our teeth,upside-down, upside-down, this is the way brush our teeth. . ."
If you combine the fun/silly with the routine, she'll eventually key in. ours did!

We let her brush her teeth by herself as soon as she asked to - then I 'checked it' and finished up the job. . . that seemed to ameliorate her gotta-do-it-by-myself need AND get her teeth somewhat clean.

by the way - now at 3 1/2, we're having trouble again sometimes. Now it is really about control, not toothbrushing. Occasionally she asks to be "held upside down and toothbrushed, like when I was a baby". So we do.

best of luck -

We kind of had to "force brush" with DS until he was about 2 years old. But we just tried to make him laugh and I or DH would hold his arms down while the other brushed in between laughs. Now we stand next to him in the bathroom in front of the mirror and sink and make funny faces that make him open his mouth (make him say "EEEEEEEEE! or OOOOOOOOOOOOHHHH! or AAAAHHHHHHHH!) as we brush teeth. First Mommy or Daddy brushes his teeth and then he can brush his own teeth after we are done.

Good Luck! Getting your kids to brush their teeth and enjoy it just takes practice. Right now she is still too young to understand the whole concept, but eventually with consistency on your part she will get it. Plus if you give her lots of facial and verbal praise after each brushing that helps. Or stickers or whatever form of reward gets her motivated.

S.

Hi J.,
It sounds like it's a power struggler right now. I would try giving her as much "control" as possible to make her feel a sense of being in control of the situation. I bought an electric tooth brush for my 2 year old and since he was 6 months we have always taken turns, first he brushes his teeth then it's "mommy's turn". It might take a while for her to get used to the routine, but the key is to be consistent. Good luck!

N.

I think example is the best idea. Just always invite her to watch you brush your teeth and ask her if she wants to brush her teeth like mommy. She may eventually ask you to do it because she sees you do it everyday. Good luck. Also, we let our daughter pick out her own toothbrush and toothpaste and she really liked that and wanted to go home to brush her teeth.

The thing that worked best for us was to get two baby tooth brushes. One for him to hold while I brushed with the other. I made up a silly song to sing while I brush his teeth and that did the trick. I think that most kids bite down on the brush. In our case I simply told him that June (the character on his toothbrush) didn't like being bitten and he opens his mouth wide.

J., Try taking her to Target or somewhere like that and have her pick a battery operated toothbrush she likes and some kid friendly toothpaste. My son loved his flouride-free toddler toothpaste that is also safe to swallow by Orajel. That's what we started him out with. Now he uses Tom's of Maine Silly strawberry with a electric toothbrush of his choosing and rinses with kids ACT mouthwash. What also helps is those Dixie cups for the bathroom. Make it fun and she will turn around to loving to brush her teeth. Maybe you can even brush at the same time! Good luck.

Hi J.,
Any time I start something new with my son, I try to find a book about it. Most characters that children love..have books out. We have them about the dentist, brushing teeth, Doctors, and X-rays. It helps my son see someone he likes doing it first. Good Luck, J.

Let her do it herself to start then finish for her. Sit in front of her like a mirror and ask her to copy you. Use a toothpaste that is safe to swallow.

Hi J. -
I have a nearly 2 year old who goes back and forth on cooperating with the teeth brushing. A few things I've found work...depending on the day...I have my son brush my teeth as I do his. I'll have him count my teeth while I brush. Sometimes, he just wants to watch in the bathroom mirror as I brush his teeth. My last hint is one my mom gave me - and it may not work until she's a bit older - but she tells my sons she needs to see if all the sugar bugs got brushed out. I always let my son brush after I'm done, but Mommy must do it first! I know it can be difficult, but sometimes it simply requires holding their head and brushing while they scream. However, I'd rather that then having my little one's teeth rot out. Good luck with the brushing!

Hi, I kind of did the same... So I went back to using the finger brush. sometimes he bites down, just say no biting get thru it as best as you can. I then put tooth paste on a brush and let him have his turn? I'm in the same boat at 21 mths.
lmk,
Q.

i can remember mine struggling at first. i always sat down on the toilet with their back to me. that way you could hold them between your legs and the brush in one hand and there chin in the other. my youngest would always laugh everytime i started brushing. they get used to it and eventually you can stand behind them at the sink and use the same method. i always let them brush after i was already done. they think they are helping and you dont have to fight them for the brush. good luck. be patient and consistant.

My son was 4mo old when his first tooth popped in, by the time he was 12mo old he had a full set of teeth, so I asked around and everyone agreed I should start brushing. So, I did and was fortunate enough that he was interested. I bought a Pooh bear toothbrush. When he was about 1.5 almost 2 we started using this training gel http://www.melaleuca.com/ps/index.cfm?f=ps.productDetail&... It helped tremendously! I'm trying to teach him to spit up but he doesn't quite get it yet, lol. I would have to say the key is to find what interests her, get a toothbrush in that character, make it fun, have the whole family brush their teeth at the same time so she can "join in" and explain how mommy brushes teeth, daddy brushes teeth, brother/sister brushes teeth, etc. Make a big deal out of it whenever she does open up and start to attempt brushing.

Best wishes!

C.~
http://www.HelpUStayHome.com
Helping moms work from home!

I started late too with my 2 1/2 year old... but once we started telling her that there were "yuckies" (or whatever word you use for something gross) on her teeth and "oh my gosh, we need to get them quick, hurry open your mouth!" She was like, ew, get the yuckies off! Kind of funny, but it works for now.

We've been using Spiffies Toothwipes for while now. They come in yummy flavors, and are sweetened with Xylitol, so they won't hurt (and will help clean) your baby's teeth.

Hello J.,

Brushing CAN be fun. You could start with a trip to the store to get a new brush and/or tooth paste. If that doesn't work try brushing random parts of her face (make it truely silly) or requesting strange faces and sounds. Piratey ARRRR and monstery ROAR usually work for me. Also try brushing her tounge and roof of her mouth (these places tickle).

HAVE FUN BRUSHING!!!

We had a rough time with teeth brushing too. I basically had to let my daughter have control over her teeth, to a point. We have a fun routine now, where we pull a chair up to the mirror, she gets to put the toothpaste on and run it under water, then I let her "brush" for a few minutes. She feels like she has some fun control and then I take over and do the real job. She's usually satisfied with that and doesn't fight as much. Hope this helps.

try getting a small toddler electric tooth brush, my 21 mth old grandson loves to brush his teeth with hie electric one.

We got some baby toothpaste- it is without the flouride so they can swallow it. They shouldn't use toothpaste until at least 2. The baby toothpaste encouraged my son to put the toothbrush in his mouth at least. We just let him bite it around and show him to brush. He doesn't quite get it but it's something and eventually he will get it. So just keep doing what you are doing and be patient. :)

I stand with my grandson and we brush together. We go up and down with the toothbrush from the gums to the tip of the teeth. First on the top then on the bottom and he copies me. When we get to the sides we go sideways. You can let her brush your teeth to see if you can brush hers at the end. Make it a FUN GAME instead of a necessity.

For rewards, IF NECESSARY, make a chart with happy faces for brushing teeth. That makes it visual for good training, and she can put the sticker on the chart. Then reward with an extra book and cuddle time at bedtime. In the morning it may be extra cuddle and "Look what beautiful teeth you have!".

The main thing is make it positive.
L.

my daughter was obsessed with elmo, so we bought a toothbrush for her elmo doll and she had to teach elmo how to brush his teeth. boy did she get into it! then after she showed elmo how it was done, she got to brush his "teeth" with water and pretend toothpaste. this worked like a charm for me, my daughter wanted to brush her teeth 5x/day!

Perhaps it is the toothpaste you are using and she does not like it because it irritates her gums. I have been using a toothpaste without toxic chemicals for 10 years. I put my son on it when he was very young, and he loves the toothpaste. It tastes like regular toothpaste, but has no toxic chemicals and is for sensitive teeth. More information, please visit my website at www.healthy-communications.com, click on solutions for healthy products.

When my 4 year old was that age, he didn't like it either. With all three of my kids we started off by letting them carry their toothbrush around and chew on it. They were able to get used to the toothbrush, the feel, the strangness, etc. My first two kids took to it easily. My 4 year old took some time. He slowly started letting us brush portions of his mouth. Now that he is almost four, he still lets us brush his teeth, sometimes he asks. Other times he has to have his "own" toothbrush to "chew" on. We just buy two toothbrushes for $1.97 from Wal-mart. He gets to pick his color to use and the other one is for us to brush with.

My son was the same way. You just have to make it fun. Try making up a song, Barney has a really good one. Give her a toothbrush to play with so she gets used to the idea of having it in his hand/mouth. Thats what we do. Don't give up. Good luck.

I had a lot of trouble too with my daughter who is 15 months until I took her to the dentist at around one year. After that visit when I sat knee to knee with the dentist and laid her on my lap, it was easy for me to see (and of course the dentist recommended) that laying the child back makes their mouth naturally open and it's easier to examine their teeth and to brush them. From that point on, I have laid my daughter back on my lap and she now lets me brush her teeth. The dentist also recommended that I put my finger inside her gums (where there aren't teeth) so that I can gently open her mouth wider if I need to. My daughter also bites the brush, but I make a game out of it and then she laughs, she opens her mouth back up and I brush some more. I also let her hold on to a separate tooth brush while I'm doing it so that she can "help" me brush....she loves that. Good Luck!

I have the same problem with my 15 month old!! I have to hold him dowm with my leg..:( I have tried singing, giving him his own tooth brush..I feel bad pinning him down but thats the only way I can brush his teeth. Good Luck.. :)

Take her to the store and let her buy her own toothbrush. Also let her brush her teeth the same time as you or mom do. Hope this helps.

Wal Mart (if I do recall) sells a toothbrush that blinks red light (when you press the button at the bottom of the toothbrush). Maybe she'll like seeing it blinking while you or she brushes her teeth!

My son hated getting his teeth brushed. We let him pick out his own toothbrush so he would get excited about it. When we brushed his teeth first we would let him have a turn then I would take the brush and have a turn brushing his teeth. At first I could only get him to let me brush for a couple of seconds each time, and only the front teeth. Eventually he let me do it longer and let me brush all his teeth. It took a couple of months. He is three now and still likes to take turns, but he is pretty good at it himself.

Hi J., Our daughter hated to have her teeth brushed too. I came up with a song (I think I might have created a spinoff from the movie Grease)and pretended to brush my teeth while singing the sone. Over time, she got excited about brushing her teeth to the sone. Hope this helps....

M.

J.,
I have had the same problem, even still do and my daughter is two. The only thing that works for me is to let her have a turn doing the brushing, then I get to take a turn too. Or just having her help me with her hand on the tooth brush.
A. ~ work at home mom with two girls
www.thebest4yourfam.com

I worked for a pediatric dentist for 9 years before my son was born. The best advice I can give you is-do it anyway, no matter what. The second is, let her brush your teeth (literally) while you brush hers. For some reason, the toddlers like the "fairness" in this. Toddlers are little "control freaks," They like to do everything by themselves at around that age. I let my 17-month-old son brush my teeth, brush his own, then I say, "It's mommy's turn now." It seems to work for us. My son won't let me brush his teeth, unless I'm singing "Row, Row, Row your boat." A lot of kids do better if you sing to them while you do it. Also, if you she has a favorite stuffed animal, brush that stuffed animal's teeth too (and let her do it as well).

Hi J.;
the best way for your daughter to learn about brushing
her teeth is if you make it fun for her. For example make it look like a game get a doll or a bear and pretend that you are going to the bathroom to brush her teeth ,you can also participate on this game so is fun. Make a big deal by praising her even go a little nuts kids like that and them give her a little reward. Good luck let me know if that works for you.
my e-mail address is ____@____.com

Anna leger

Our little boy is 15 months and also fights us a bit when we try to brush his teeth. What seems to help is letting him use the tooth brush by himself first. Then when we really want to get them clean we let him hold another tooth brush while we get to work in his mouth. Having his hands occupied seems to take his mind off it a bit. Also, when I open my mouth and say "aaahh" or "eeee" (to get those front teeth) he tries to mimic my noises, it buys us more time, and we are better able to get those pearly whites :) This all takes place in about a minutes time! Good luck!

I have four kids with great teeth and tooth brushing habits. Don't brush too hard, too long, and too much paste. Make it fun and playful and quick. Main thing is that they don't eat sweets most days, don't drink juice or milk especially right before bed, and always dilute juices into half. My brother is a dentist, and also my cousin, his wife, and my aunt. My children started getting their teeth cleaned at two years old. I let the hygenist tell them the right way to brush and kept on them to brush at night and in the morning after breakfast. How they do it, well I check once in a while. The little ones are 4 and 8 now, with no cavities. The 21 and 20 year olds have maybe two fillings each total.

Maybe get another toothbrush and give her one to do herself. Then you can try to stick the other one in and get the teeth. She might not like the loss of control when you do it.

my 2 year old loves it but we do it together and I let her do it then I say "my turn" and I do hers. Sometimes I let her do mine too. Try Tom's of Maine Silly Strawberry, my daughter loves it!

Hi, Have you tried brushing your teeth with her? I started by brushing my teeth while holding my son and he became interested. I then pulled out his tooth brush, let him hold it, and moved it for him. He's a great little brusher now.

At the beginning it may be easier to have two toothbrushes for her. Give her one and use the other one to do it properly

You're the parent, you decide.
You need to tell your child what will be done. Yes, they'll resist, but you must win in the end.
I'm even at the point with my 4 and 2.5 year old that I can use a dental pick and remove food particles from their molars.

Remember, you decide. If they have poor oral hygiene and develop problems it's your fault. I don't want that on my conscience, so I do what I need to do and they comply (but it took some strong willpower in the beginning).

good luck, you can do it

Hi J.,
Looks like you got a lot of advice. My son was very similar to your daughter. He really responded to me singing songs from his favorite movies/tv shows. He also LOVES toothbrushes that play the songs of the tv show they come from. He has a Bob the Builder toothbrush that plays the theme song for 2 minutes. Good Luck! Once you find what works, it will work forever!

Hi J.,
I am a dental hygienist with four kids, mostly grown now, but I can remember lots of times like that with one of my own in particular. With him, I tried making a game out of it . You could try brushing together, with you brushing her teeth first, then letting her try. Biting the bristles is not bad either, since it does clean the chewing part of the tooth a little. When my son cried, it actually made it easier to see his teeth, and I kept telling him it was ok to cry, but we still had to get the sugar bugs off his teeth. They make great little baby brushes that are round, so that a small child would not choke on it. As she gets older, have her brush yours a little with your brush, then you take a turn with hers. You might try the new musical electris brushes, too. I do remember quite a few wrestling matches with my son, but it paid off with beautiful baby teeth. Don't give up. At least your'e trying!
D. W.

Hi J.,
Ok this is going to sound very brutal, but as a mom and dental assistant I can tell you what I do. In the morning when I am brushing my teeth, all my girls (10, 7, 15 mo) are/were in my room. I gave them their brush and let them "brush" their teeth. The just played and chewed on it. In the evening, when it is most important, here's the brutal part; I laid them down on the bed, put their arms by theirs sides, and straddled them, put a tiny bit of toothpaste on the brush and squeeze theirs cheeks to open their mouths, and quickly brush their teeth. I learned this from working with a childrens dentist when my first was a baby. As you do it, sing a funny song, tickle her, talk to her and tell her its important and that you love her, eventually, she'll let you do it. Plus don't stress over it, if she'll let you put your finger in her mouth with a wet washcloth that will work to.
Good luck
K. E.

Hi- I do my son's teeth in the bathtub while he is playing then I give him a cup to rinse and he spits it out in the tub and thinks its the best thing ever- Try it in the tub- There are also lots of fun books on brushing teeth maybe read some to her as well so she gets a better understanding of the whole thing , maybe also bring her to a store and show her all the fun toothbrushes with princess's and other characters and make a HUGE thing out of it and get her her favorite one - Hope it helps and things get easier for you ,GOOD LUCK - She will come around !

Hi J.! How about taking her out and having her choose her "special" toothbrush and toothpaste from the store? Perhaps, knowing that she was in charge of choosing her fave one, she'll be at ease when you start using it. Telling her a story about brushing would be a great way to break the news that it's necessary for her to take care of her teeth. You'll be surprised with the comprehension of a year old.

About me: I'm a mama of two wonderful boys. 3 Noah, 5 Nathan. Sometimes, my boys are the ones that remind us to brush their teeth especially when they have just eaten a sweet treat. I don't let them eat candies, drink sodas etc...when they drink juices, it'll be diluted 50%. I have them eat plenty of fruits and alternative snacks to minimize the risk for cavities.

Good luck with your baby. By the way, are you supplementing her nutrition with vitamins? How about for you and your family? Check out USANA HEALTH SCIENCES nutritionals you can trust. www.globalsynergy.usana.com. If you have any questions about it, you can email me at ____@____.com, our ESSENTIALS appear in the Physician's Desk Reference and are NSF certified (highest criteria met voluntarily) adhering to Good Manufacturing Practices. You should check it out!

Take care. M. B.

Stay upbeat and try to tell her you are cleaning the sugar bugs off! You brush first - everytime, regardless if you only get a few teeth to start, then give her the brush and tell her to finish. Eventually, you should be able to have an open mouth to work with. In the meantime, if biting down is all she is doing and you can't get in, then hold her mouth open (gently) with your fingers. Also, if you aren't already doing this, brush her layind down with her head closet to you. Works great on the edge of the bed.

Just stay consistent and it will get better!
M.

My first child was very obedient about opening his mouth for me when it was time to brush his teeth. Yes, he did bite it just to see how it felt but all kids like to taste and bite things right? ;) with my second child, she is a different story. She is a fighter and wouldn't open her mouth. I would give her a choice, please open your mouth nicely for me or I'm going to have to lie you down. She wouldn't open her mouth so, I'd lie her down with her head in my lap. If she still fought, I would actually have to use my legs to hold her arms down while she screamed. the screaming made it really easy to brush her teeth because she would open her mouth really wide. ;) The next day, I'd give her a choice again. Eventually she decided that she didn't like being held down and would cooperate nicely. Brushing teeth is good for them and it shouldn't be an option of yes or no to it. The option is how it will be done. Good luck!

Let her try to brush her own teeth. It won't be perfect, but at least she can get familiar with the toothbrush and know that's it's ok. Does she watch you or your husband brush your teeth?

Biting the toothbrush is normal. Let her hold hers while you you use yours to show her what to do. You probably don't even need toothpaste yet, just water. She probably won't get it for some time. Right now, you want her to learn the routine, the art of the brush will come. We did that with our daughter at that age and she didn't really start to "brush" until she was at least 2 years old. Don't stress.
M.

Hi J.,

You have to make it a game with little ones. My daughter has a finger toothbrush that she uses to brush my two year old grand-daughter's teeth when she won't use the regular toothbrush. She will tickle her nose or play a game to get her to open her mouth then she will say let me tickle those teeth and she uses the finger brush to clean them.

I have a set of 16 month old twin boys. I brush their teeth every night in the bath tub. Try putting a tiny bit of Orajel toothpaste(safe for toddlers to swallow) on her toothbrush. Even if she does just bite on the toothbrush it's doing the job.
Hope this helps!!

Hello! My son used to fight us every night as well, until I started telling him I needed to get all the food bugs out of his teeth. I would him open his mouth real wide and start talking about the foods he had eaten all day and pretend I saw big food bugs in his mouth. He found this to be quite entertaining and for the past eight months has loved brushing his teeth since then. Another technique we used is letting him brush his own teeth in the mornings. I put water and a tiny bit of tooth paste on his tooth brush and let him practice spitting into the bath tub. This really helped him enjoy the process, feel independent, and get spitting down. Good luck to you!

A little about me:
Stay-at-home mom to a 2 1/2 year old son and due in five weeks with our second son.

Stop trying to brush them...as an alternative you can get a clean hand towel and make a game where she bites the towel and you wiggle it around. Tell her she's a tiger or a ferocious beast! This will keep her teeth clean.

Have you tried letting her brush your teeth while you brush her teeth?

Hi J.,

Oh man, I remember those days. They still happen every now and again. My oldest (now 23) was like this too and so is my youngest one(now 7), they are both girls.

One thing that I did was talk about the easy way or the hard way. The hard way being you gettin hubby to help and pin them down and you open their mouth and basically force them get their teeth brushed. Or they can do it the easy way, where they open mouth and then you still do it. yes, I even had to plug their noses to get them to open their mouth. After being consistent about it, they just learn that it is something that you have to do.

Another idea might be to reward her for doing it the easy way and when she gets X number of stickers on a chart, she gets a treat/prize.

One thing I do need to share is that the dentist said, "If you think about not brushing their teeth and just let it go" think about how much pain, and troubles that will be for them. You pretty much don't have a choice, you just need to do it.

Best of luck being strong!

I found a storybook set called "the Little Prince Gets a Toothache" which has a storybook and a figurine with a sand timer. My toddler did not like brushing his teeth at all until I found this set and a soft toothbrush.

Hope this helps. Good Luck.

Children love games and songs, try to incorporate this with a toothbrushing routine. My 2 year old and 1 year old enjoy their electric Dora and SpongeBop toothbrushes with a little flavored kids toothpaste. They obviously won't brush their teeth perfectly, but once they are done I normally brush their teeth by sharing a story about (the little bugs in their mouth). Children love imaginative stories. Give your child the opportunity to pick out their favorite toothbrush/paste to initiate that their involvement counts (this really hypes them up). Brush together!

Yep. That sounds like a toddler. I have a 2 year old boy. Don't blame yourself. Even if you started out early. She still might bite the toothbrush. It's all right. A couple things that worked for me. And not all the time. ;) I sing a Toothbrush song that I made up. And let him do it. I brush my teeth with him. And show him. Also....there were times I just put some toothpaste on my finger and CAREFULLY did a swoop in his mouth to get the toothpaste in there. It'll change. Hang in there. ;) R.

I work in a dental office and see kids all of the time with cavities because their parents won't fight this battle, so good job for trying to figure this out! A couple of suggestions, have a couple of extra toothbrushes around the house that your daughter can 'play' with to get used to having in her mouth, and her chewing on them may feel good on her gums and help remove some food. We always say that at night time it's Mommy or Daddy's turn, and in the morning, the child can do it themselves so they feel their independence still. But definately get a good brushing in before bedtime for obvious reasons. And if you have to hold her down, it is worth it in the long run and hopefully she will realize pretty quickly that she is going to get her teeth brushed so she won't fight for too long. It's also great now that stores have fun flossers for kids, I can get princesses for my daughter, and buzz lightyear for my son and flossing is now fun! Best of luck for a cavity-free win!

My oldest Daughter did the same thing. I would cradle her then brush away squirming and all. If you have the time (and patience) you can give her the brush and let her do it. then say let mommy see and have her open her mouth and say okay mommy's turn.
Abbey is now 2 1/2 and love that fact that she is brushes her teeth with "little bear" tooth paste.

-B.

well i would tell them that they will get cavitys if they do not and give them treats when they do brush there teeth give them prizes

I would let my daughter hold the toothpaste- it had princesses on it. If she wouldn't keep mouth open I pinched her nose! She had to breath eventually! I brushed first and counted to 5 for each quadrant, then had her do "cheese" so I could get the sides. Then it's her turn! Now she is 2.5 years and we have no problems she loves to brush her teeth.

Does she object to the toothbrush or the actual process of brushing? Here are some thoughts:

Get some Spiffies tooth wipes (www.drraysproducts.com). They are even great for keeping a few in your purse for when you eat out. You can wrap the wipe around your finger and brush her teeth that way. You can also hand her a wipe to chew on (they aren't huge) and/or to wipe her teeth herself. While it's advised that parents brush their kids teeth until they are 8 (yes, 8!) because they don't have the dexterity to do a proper job themselves - you can always say "my turn" and do a wipe down yourself. If some days the Spiffle wipe is all you are able to do, that is fine- it is like toothpaste on a cloth.

I tell my younger one we are chasing the sugar bugs away. Try to make a game of it - she can brush your teeth first (with your toothbrush) and them you can brush her teeth. Find other times besides bedtime; maybe at that hour she is more resistant. She is still very young and doesn't understand the logic behind brushing teeth.

We have our young ones (5 and younger) lay down on their back so we can brush their teeth. Someone on the dental list (veryyoungkidsteeth and alternativekidsteeth both at yahoogroups) recommended this and it really does improve your ability to both see all the teeth and reach them.

Maybe she doesn't like the flavor of the toothpaste. I use Spry tooth gel for my young ones (www.xlear.com). The toothpastes that are on the counter don't have enough xylitol. It needs to be in the first ingredients. The Spry gel is not minty or spicy, it just tastes sweet.

Lastly, most people don't know but you should brush before eating. It removes the bacteria before they can come in contact with the food and acidify in the mouth. We had enormous tooth decay issues - my 2 yr old had 6 teeth pulled, two crowns, and holes in two other teeth when we began using xylitol and brushing before eating. In 2-1/2 yrs since then he has had not a speck of decay. The difference is astounding. The key is removing bacteria before eating so the sugar never meets the bacteria. And lastly, just to stave off future problems in case anyone tells you otherwise, breastfeeding does NOT in any way cause cavities.

Good luck,

I didn't want to read all of the responses so this might be a repeat, but I was told by a dentist that if you lie your child down on the bed and brush their teeth when they are semi-upside down that they will open their mouth much better. When it seems to be a control issue with my young children, I let them have a turn "brushing" first and then it's my turn. I remind them that we have to get all the sugar off and they are willing to let me do it.

Good luck.

At this age, you're going great if you just try to encourage the behavior and not to expect perfection - and if possible, make it something they enjoy. We turned it into a song and dance so instead of "going to brush teeth" (ugh), we'd annouce that it was time to sing the teeth song...let's get ready for the show(hooray!). Biting the toothbrush is normal. If you don't feel that your child is doing enough then you can offer to help (but not every time) and also you can introduce flossing (teeth string) to extend the time spent on it. It can also be an opportunity to build self esteem with informal comments like "I noticed how you really reached the teeth in the back to get them really clean" Finally, I'd suggest that because the child isn't capable of doing 100% great job, try to limit foods that cause the most "damage" to teeth at night. Serve water instead of milk or juice at dinner, no sweets, etc.

Try to make brushing her teeth a fun thing. Sing songs while you try to brush her teeth, and eventually she should start liking to brush her teeth. My kids all love brushing their teeth. We sing lots of songs about brushing our teeth while we do it. It also helps them to remember how to brush their teeth properly. My kids are 3,2, and 2 months and the older two do a great job brushing their teeth. Of course after they are done i go back just to make sure. Maybe you could try letting your daughter brush her own teeth and sing while she does it, then you go back and do it for her after she is fininshed. Give it a try and see. Let me know how it goes.